Lessons of Love
by Fencedude
Summary: There are many kinds of love in the world, on a day where one is celebrated, IF teaches the twin CPU Candidates of Lowee about its myriad forms.


_A symbol of love. A symbol of blessing. A symbol of what is to come. On a day of joy, the goddess shall smile over you._

_-Ancient Tari Proverb_

**Lessons of Love**

IF wasn't very fond of weddings. It seemed every time she turned around one of her colleagues in the Guild was marrying. In the last year alone she'd attended no fewer than five weddings. This wedding was the sixth. Of course, this wedding was just a bit more notable. It was not every day that one attended the wedding of a goddess. Much less the wedding of _two_ goddesses. That also doubled as the ceremony where their nations would enter an alliance even stronger than the accord reached during the Great Summit. Yet IF still found herself ill at ease.

The main ceremony had ended 15 minutes ago, right now there was a lull for people to mingle before the next big event. The ceremony had been the most impressive IF had ever seen, unsurprising considering who the brides were. For once IF hadn't been part of the wedding party itself, instead she was present as the official Guild representative. Though considering she was a close friend of both brides, and had been instrumental in saving their lives during the ASIC incident a few years back, she would have been invited anyway.

Making her way to the refreshments, she dipped herself a glass of punch and surveyed the crowd. Given the event, it was a who's who of Gamindustri. Top board members from the most successful companies. High level bureaucrats, entertainment celebrities. All four goddesses and their oracles, of course. Plus a special appearance by the goddess of the Ultradimension Planeptune, Lady Plutia. She'd brought along Peashy - the strange child goddess - who'd served as the ring bearer in the ceremony. Finally she found the one she'd been looking for.

Her girlfriend. Her lover. Compa. IF had lost count of how many times she'd been asked 'so when are you and that pretty nurse going to get hitched anyway?' by her co-workers. It especially happened at weddings. She always demurred. To be honest, she wasn't sure why they didn't just get married, the subject just never seemed to come up. It wasn't like she didn't love Compa. She did. It wasn't a passionate, burning love, but a comfortable, lived in love. Still, something gnawed at her, before she could consider it further a shout drew her attention. It was time for _that_ event. The throwing of the tokens.

A tradition of every Gamindustry wedding, where both brides would toss a token to the gathered guests. The ones who caught them were said to be blessed by their goddess, and would be lucky in love. This time was extra-special because it was the goddesses themselves tossing the token. IF always made it a point to appear to participate, but she never really tried to catch it. Her height was, for once, an assistance in this endeavor. Moving towards the crowd, she saw Lady Green Heart slipping the garter off of Lady White Heart's leg. The green-haired goddess gave it a spin around her finger before sending it into the crowd. Suddenly, an arm shot further into the air than IF would have believed possible. A high voice cried out.

"I got it! Rom I got it!" Joining the hand above the crowd was a head with long, light-brown hair. Ram, one of the twin goddess candidates from Lowee. "Wait! Rom! I'm..." Ram's head vanished, but moments later the crowd around her collapsed, as a chain reaction sent them all to the ground.

IF rushed over "Hey, is everyone alright?" several dozen women in expensive gowns were spread about, arms and legs thrown wide. It was all IF could do to not pull out one of her cell phones and snap a picture. Already sitting up were the two responsible for the disaster. Their white dresses, trimmed in pink for Ram and powder-blue for Rom, were rumpled, but they looked incredibly pleased with themselves. Especially Ram.

"Rom! Rom! We're going to be lucky in love!" Ram was definitely very, very happy with how things had turned out.

"Now look you two. There is nothing wrong with being enthusiastic but..." IF's lecture was cut short as she felt something land on her head. Reaching up she found herself holding a white garter, lined with neon green and embroidered with a similarly colored X.

"Ram. Does this mean we're marrying Iffy?"

"We're marrying Iffy!" IF found herself grabbed by the arms and hauled off by 60 kg worth of goddess candidates.

Unfortunately for IF, they were in Lowee's Basilicom. Which meant that her abductors knew every nook and cranny and in short order she was well and thoroughly lost. They came to a halt in a room that looked like it saw very little use.

"Ok; Ram, Rom. What do you think you are doing?" IF tried to keep her voice stern, though she'd always had trouble disciplining the two. She left that to their sister, or Mina. Or Histoire. Anyone but her.

"We're getting married!" Ram, of course.

"Marrying Iffy." Rom, more subdued as always.

"Ok, but why are you marry...I mean why do you think you are marrying me?" IF had to make sure not to get caught up in their pace.

"Because we caught the token. And you caught the other token. That means we're in love. Right?" Rom nodded along with her more outgoing sister.

IF couldn't resist letting out a small chuckle. "No, not quite." IF looked around, but the room was remarkably empty. It seemed to have once been a ballroom, but had been superseded by the room currently hosting the wedding reception. Failing to find a chair, she sat down, curling her legs beneath her. "Have a seat." She patted the ground in front of her. Rom imitated IF as she sat, while Ram sprawled her legs out, her fairly short dress giving IF a fantastic view of her panties.

"First of all, we are not getting married. For one, your sister would be very mad at us, and we don't want that." Both twins nodded rapidly in agreement. "Secondly, you aren't in love with me."

"But I do love you, Iffy." Rom's voice had a slight plaintive sound. "You helped us rescue our sister. You saved us from that nasty licking monster." Both twins shuddered slightly at the memory. "Ram loves you too. Right Ram?" The longer haired twin nodded.

"I love Iffy. You're fun, and you aren't too tall! You also look like us!" IF decided to let that comment pass, Ram meant well, after all.

"I love the both of you, just like how I love Nepgear and Uni. However there are many different types of love." You love your sister, right?

"Yes!" shouted in unison.

"Even when she yells at us." Rom.

"You wouldn't want to marry her though, would you?" They stopped to think for a bit.

"No, that would be strange."

"Exactly. You love her as your sister and she loves you back. That's not the same as the love your sister has for Lady Vert."

"Or Uni and Nepgear!" Rom it seemed was surprisingly perceptive.

"Yes, that's a good example. Uni and Nepgear do love each other that way."

Rom tapped Ram on the shoulder, then whispered into her ear. "What about you and Compa? You love each other like that, right?" Rom's face turned red, even though it was Ram asking the question.

"Yes, Compa and I are lovers." A look of confusion on their face. "Thats a term for a couple who is in love, 'that way' but isn't married.

"So why aren't you married?" Rom's question jerked IF up short. Even here she couldn't escape the question.

"Because...because...we've never discussed it, really."

"Don't you want to marry Compa? I want to go to your wedding! I'll bet Compa would look amazing in a wedding dress!" Ram got so excited at the idea she'd leapt to her feet.

"I do, I just..." IF really had no good answer for them.

"What about that." Rom pointed at the token, still in IF's hand. "You got that. You have the goddess's blessing" Rom seemed blissfully unaware that the goddess in question was now her sister-in-law.

IF hadn't thought of that. She wasn't afraid Compa would turn her down, was she? They'd been together since just after the ASIC incident. There was no way that could happen. Why would it even worry her. She looked at the token in her hands. A gauzy strip of white lace with bright green ribbons and an embroidered X. Was this all she really needed?

She stood. "Thank you Ram, Rom." Ram had a confused look on her face, while Rom merely stood up and moved next to her twin. "Let's go back, you'll need to lead the way. And slower this time, ok?" She took each one by hand and they returned the way they came.

A few minutes later they stood outside the reception chamber. "I'll tell Mina that I already yelled at you, ok? So let's keep this conversation our little secret."

Both twins grinned. "Iffy we love you!" they grabbed her in a hug, then simultaneously kissed her on the cheeks. "We learned a lot from you. We really were lucky in love!" Ram held up the token she'd caught.

"That you were, that you were." Taking their hands again, she lead them around the corner, where they were almost immediately confronted by a red-faced Nishizawa Mina.

"Where did you two get off to! Do you have any idea the commotion you caused!" The oracle stopped and blinked, her eyes focusing on IF. "Oh, IF. I didn't see you there."

"It's ok, Mina. I already talked to them about their behavior. They won't do it again." Mina gaped slightly at her, until a green-haired woman came up next to her.

"Don't mind her, she's been running herself ragged with the wedding preparations. If you've already spoken to them, then it will be fine." Hakozaki Chika turned Mina around and led her back into the hall, turning around just enough to give a wink to IF.

_Sometime I need to find out how those two hooked up. _Shaking the irrelevant thought aside, she turned back to the twins, putting a hand on each one's head. "Ok, you two run along. Try not to cause too much more trouble, I won't bail you out with Mina again." The two heads bobbed, and after one last hug, they dashed off.

IF scanned the crowd once more. She found Compa sitting at a table with Lady Plutia, who was holding a sleeping Peashy. IF strode over, trying to fill herself with confidence. "C-Compa." She mentally kicked herself for stuttering.

"Iffy?" The same nickname the twins used, but hearing it from Compa made her heart race. IF kneeled down and took Compa's left hand.

"Compa, I..." she took out the token, and placed it around Compa's wrist. Twisting it so it would hold like a bracelet. Her cheeks felt like they were a million degrees. Compa raised her arm, a few moments later she realized what she was looking at.

There was another tradition with the tokens. To give your token to another was a declaration of love. To share the blessing you had obtained.

"IFFY!" Compa's tackle nearly knocked the wind out of IF. "Yes! Of course I will! Let's get married!"

-End-


End file.
